Abstract: Joseph Keppler Jr. was born Udo Keppler on 1872 April 4 in St Louis, Missouri. He was a writer, collector of Native American
literature and artifacts, political cartoonist, and publisher. In 1898, Keppler was adopted into the Wolf Clan of the Seneca
tribe and in appreciation of his social and legislative efforts on behalf of American Indians in New York, he was made an
honorary Chief of the Seneca tribe and given the name "Gy-ant-wa-ka." Keppler died 1956 July 4 in La Jolla, California. The
Joseph Keppler, Jr. Papers contains newspaper and magazine clippings; ephemera; correspondence; photographic material; drawings;
notes on Native American ceremonies and stories; and speeches created or collected by Keppler from 1899-1960. The bulk of
the collection contains correspondence and letters from Keppler's family members and associates.

creator:
Converse, Harriet Maxwell

creator:
Cornplanter, Ed, Chief

creator:
Johnson, Freeman, Chief

creator:
Keppler, Joseph, Jr., 1872-1956

creator:
Ninham, Fred

creator:
Ninham, Gertrude

Access

Collection is open for research. Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit http://theautry.org/research/research-rules-and-application
or contact library staff at rroom@theautry.org. A folder level inventory is available from library staff.

Processed by Glenna Schroeder, circa 1977-1981. Preliminary finding aid created by Michele Anderson, 2009. Biographical note
prepared by Eloise Nelson, Braun Research Library intern, 2011 June 20. Finding aid completed by Anna Liza Posas, 2013. Final
processing of collection and publication of finding aid made possible by a grant from the National Historical Publications
and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Biograpahical note

Joseph Keppler Jr. was born Udo Keppler on 1872 April 4 in St Louis, Missouri. He was a writer, collector of Native American
literature and artifacts, political cartoonist, and publisher. He later changed his name to Joseph Keppler, Jr. in honor of
his father.

His mother was Pauline Pfau and his father Udo Joseph Keppler, founded
Puck magazine. Keppler, Jr. took over the publication after his father's death.

Keppler, Jr. had two sons, Udo Keppler III and George Keppler, with his first wife Louise. Louise died in December of 1944.
He later married Vera, who survived him.

Keppler was also good friends with George Heye and assisted with the founding of the Heye Foundation’s Museum of the American
Indian in 1916.

He became active in Indian affairs and spent a great deal of time with the Seneca Nation both as an activist and as a collector.
Keppler worked with others to defeat or substantially modify proposed legislation concerning the New York State reservations.
He also actively promoted Iroquois lacrosse teams and his connections with the railroad enabled him to procure discount railroad
passes for New York Indians.

In 1898, Keppler was adopted into the Wolf Clan of the Seneca tribe in New York, through the sponsorship of Harriet Maxwell
Converse, herself a third generation adoptee. In 1899, in appreciation of his social and legislative efforts on behalf of
Native Americans in New York, he was made an honorary Chief of the Seneca tribe and given the name "Gy-ant-wa-ka."

Keppler died 1956 July 4 in La Jolla, California, where he had been living. His residences in Woodland, New York and La Jolla
were both called "Tov-nis-gah."

The collection contains newspaper and magazine clippings; ephemera; correspondence; photographic material; drawings; notes
on Native American ceremonies and stories; and speeches created or collected by Joseph Keppler.

The bulk of the collection contains correspondence and letters from Keppler's family members and associates, including Chief
Ed Cornplanter, Chief Freeman Johnson, Fred and Gertrude Ninham, and Harriett Maxwell Converse. Clippings consist of obituaries
and articles that relate to Native American athlete Jim Thorpe; Native American culture, art, health, and food; and the Navajo,
Iroquois, and Seneca tribes. There are also articles related to the discovery of bones claiming to belong to "The Missing
Link."

Use

Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry National Center. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the Autry Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry National Center
as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained by the reader.